Canopy for bicycles



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J. T. B. VAN- VEOHTEN,

CANOPY FOR BICYCLE-S.

No. 572,843. Patented Dec. 8, 1896.

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UNITED STATES P TENT ()FFICE.

JUNIUS T. B. VAN VEOHTEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO JAMES A. LOWVE, OF LEONIA, NEW JERSEY.

CANOPY FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,843, dated December 8, 1896.

A licati fil d June 16, 1896. Serial No. 595,803. (No model) T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JUNIUS T. B. VAN VECH- TEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Canopies for Bicycles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to bicycle-canopies designed to protect the rider from the suns rays; and it consists of an improved bicyclecanopy so constructed with regard to its framework or support as to render it convertible from a bicycle-canopy into a sail for the bicycle, and vice versa, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate my invention, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my device in its extended flat or normal con dition. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, the canvas being removed, showing the auxiliary sail turned up into the wind. Fig. at is also a side elevation showing the auxiliary portion or small sail adjusted to protect the eyes of the rider from the sun. The canvas in this view is also removed. Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the main portion of the canopy adjusted to form a sail to take the Wind and assist the rider in propelling the machine, the canvas being removed.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the main standard, which is provided near its lower end with a clamp 2, having lugs in which are seated thumb-screws, by which the clamp is secured upon the steering-rod of a bicycleframe. The clamp 2 is also provided with lugs 3 and 4, in which the main standard 1 is placed when in use, thumb-screws 5 6 .being employed to secure the clamp in place on the main standard. At its upper end the main standard 1 is provided with a T-head having a transversely-disposed opening or seat 7 between the arms of the T-head, in which seat 7 is placed the intermediate crossrod of the canopy-frame. Extending from the arms of the T-head and hinged to said arms are the longer longitudinal rod 8 and the shorter longitudinal rod 9 of the canopyframe. The longer rod 8 is connected with the main standard by a brace-rod 34, hinged thereto and connected with an adjustable clamp 10 on the main standard, a thumbscrew 11 being used to hold said clamp 10 to its adjustments. The shorter rod 9 is hinged to the other arm of the T-head and is provided with a hinged adj Listing-brace 12,wl1ich is adjustably connected with the main standard of the canopy-frame by a clamp 13 and thumb-screw 14. Both the upper and lower connections for securing the longer and shorter brace rods in place are hinge c011- nections, the lower hinge connections in both instances being rendered vertically adjustable on the vertical standard or rod, so that both the main sail and auxiliary sail maybe adjusted from their normal positions when forming the canopy proper to the necessary and varied positions required of them when either or both of them are converted into sails for aiding or assisting the bicycler in propelling, speeding, or driving the machine.

At their outer ends both the longer and the shorter longitudinal rods of the canopy-frame are provided with shouldered tongues 15 and 16, to which the transversely-disposed end rods 17 and 18 are secured by clamps 19, provided with thumb-screws 20 for removably securing said end rods 17 and 18 in place.

It may be remarked here that all of the rods forming the canopy-frame are preferably made tubular to insure lightness of construction and the requisite strength, and that said rods are preferably 11ickel-plated to enhance the appearance of the frame and at the same time prevent it from becoming tarnished or rusted.

The intermediate cross-rod 33 is seated in a transversely-disposed opening in the T-head at the upper end of the main standard or rod and is provided with two pinholes 21 and 22, the former when the said intermediate rod is in place in its seat being brought into alinement with a pin-hole 23 in the top of the stem of the T-head, the latter hole being at right angles to pin-hole 22 and outside of the transverse seat in the T-head. Two pins 24 and 25, connected by a chain 26, are employed in connection With the T-head and intermediate transverse rod to hold the rod temporarily in place, that is, While the frame is properly put together and in use on the bicycle. At other times these pins can be removed and the middle or intermediate transverse rod can be removed from its seat and packed together with the other portions of the canopy-frame, which may be closed or folded similarly to an umbrella-frame, when the thumb-screws with which the sliding clamps are provided have been properly turned to loosen them. The transverse end bars are provided with headed pins 27, which engage rings 28, let into the fabric of the canopy-cover near its end edges for the purpose of removably attaching the canopy-cover to the canopy-frame. At the point where it is designed to deflect or incline the canopy-cover to form either the sunshade, auxiliary sail, or the main sail the canopycover is provided with a transverse row of eyelets 29, which secure a tape 30 thereto on the underside of the canopy. The tape forms half-loops 31 between each two of the eyelets 29, and each of these half-loops 31 is provided with a ring 32, through which the intermediate transverse rod passes when the parts of the canopy-frame are put together and serves to connect the intermediate or transverse midframe.

fore described, but prefer the headed pins and rings, owing to their greater stability and convenience in manipulating them.

The utility of the convertible canopy and main and auxiliary sails for bicyclists use will be obvious from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and will enable those skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A folding canopy-frame having longer and shorter longitudinal bars, and removable intermediate and end bars arranged transversely of said longitudinal bars and the T- head, hinged spreaders provided with adjusting-clamps engaging the main standard of the canopy-frame, and a removable cover connected with the transverse bars of the canopyframe, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the main standard having a seat in a T-head at its top, of

v the bars 8, 9, the removable end bars, the removable intermediate bar seated in the T- head the supporting-clamps 19, 19 removably J secured to the bars 8, 9, the pins engaging the holes in the T-head and in the intermediate 5 transverse rod, and the canopy-cover removably connected to the end bars and intermediate transverse bar, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature I in presence of two witnesses.

JUNIUS T. B. VAN VEOHTEN. Vitnesses GEO. B. DUNN, LoUIs GAN. 

